The Montgomery County Council will vote Tuesday on whether to approve County Executive Marc Elrich’s proposed changes to the county’s capital budget, which involve funding for county and public school construction projects.
The council will also host a public hearing on proposed legislation that would allow the county to put abandoned pets up for adoption more quickly and another bill that would provide discounted public parking permits for child care center workers and social workers in homelessness services affected by the light-rail Purple Line construction in downtown Silver Spring.
The council will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Stella Werner Council Office Building in Rockville for its regular weekly business meeting. Here’s what to expect:
Vote on proposed capital budget amendments
The council will vote on several proposed amendments to the county’s capital budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Last week, Elrich introduced his proposed amendments for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. These include funding for construction of an auditorium at Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville, increased funding to build the auditorium; stadium and classrooms at Gaithersburg’s new Crown High School, set to open in 2027; and stadium upgrades for a new Northwood High School, also set to open in 2027; as well as HVAC upgrades across the school system.
Elrich’s capital budget and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) of nearly $6 billion for fiscal years 2025-2030 was approved in 2024, so there are no major proposed changes for fiscal year 2026. However, Elrich and his staff were able to make some minor amendments based on certain eligibility criteria, such as urgent health and safety issues and acquisition of state and federal grant funding, according to county budget and management specialist Rachel Silberman.
The revised budget also includes earmarked state and federal funding for such projects as the North Bethesda Metro station entrance reconstruction, county bus stop safety improvements, and design and construction of a satellite police station in Olney.
Animal impoundment bill
The council will hear from the public on proposed legislation that would allow the county to put abandoned pets up for adoption more quickly, reducing issues at the county’s animal adoption center in Derwood according to the bill’s sponsors.
Under current county law, an impounded animal, or an animal repossessed by the county, is considered abandoned and becomes county property if it is not redeemed by its owner within five days after the owner is notified of the impoundment by the county. If passed, the proposed legislation would decrease this period to three days.
According to councilmember Sidney Katz (D-Dist. 3), one of the bill’s lead sponsors, the change in the law would “reduce overcrowding at the animal shelter, reduce the time that the animal is held at the shelter and accelerate the timeline for the adoption process.”
On average, only 3.6% of cats and 5.4% of dogs are reclaimed after three days, indicating that the vast majority of cats and dogs are either reclaimed within three days or go unclaimed, according to data from the county’s Office of Animal Services and Adoption Center.
Councilmembers Kristin Mink (D-Dist. 5) and Dawn Luedtke (D-Dist. 7) are also lead sponsors of the proposed legislation. Council President Kate Stewart (D-Dist. 4), Vice President Will Jawando (D-At-large) and councilmembers Gabe Albornoz (D-At-large), Evan Glass (D-At-large), Laurie-Anne Sayles (D-At-large) and Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1) are co-sponsoring.
Purple Line parking waiver
The public also can weigh in on proposed legislation that would provide discounted public parking permits for child care center workers and social workers in homelessness services who are affected by Purple Line construction in downtown Silver Spring.
The legislation is sponsored by Stewart, who represents the affected area, with co-sponsoring support from Katz, Mink and Luedtke.
The Purple Line, a 16-mile light-rail line that is slated to be complete in late 2027 and will run from Bethesda to New Carrollton in Prince George’s County under the operation of the Maryland Transit Administration. Construction has impacted parts of downtown Silver Spring, including the area near the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center, which will include a Purple Line station.
The construction also has impacted a number of roads in downtown Silver Spring, reducing access to parking and local businesses.
The bill would establish a parking permit rate for specialized service providers that is less than the rate currently charged in county garages and on parking meters. County parking rates vary based on the type of parking, but the bill would require that the discounted permit cost just 5% of the regular rate for the corresponding regular permit.
Ambulance insurance reimbursement bill
New legislation set to be introduced in the council Tuesday would allow first responders to ask for information from patients about their insurance coverage “for the limited purposes of providing transportation to an alternative destination or providing treatment in place,” according to the council staff report.
Currently, first responders with Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) are prohibited from asking a patient for their insurance information or whether they are insured.
The bill is sponsored by Stewart at the request of Elrich. According to a memorandum from Elrich, the legislation if approved would “increase revenue and enhance innovation” for MCRFS.
“For example, [MCFRS] has partnered with the Advanced Urgent Care at Kaiser Permanente to accept patients by ambulance, but they only accept Kaiser members,” Elrich wrote. “Also, certain managed care organizations offer specific services to their subscribers that EMS can facilitate.”
A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 11.